Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef is a delicious stir-fry made with thinly sliced beef. It is cooked in a rich medley of ingredients, including garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Decorated with green onions or parsley, this flavorful dish has become a popular Chinese-American cuisine.

Interestingly, Mongolian Beef is incredibly similar to Bulgogi. Despite the initial similarity, a few subtle nuances distinguish Mongolian Beef from Bulgogi.

Bulgogi uses an apple or a pear to soften the meat. Mongolian Beef does not use fruit to tenderize the meat; it also adds sugar, which gives it a savoury, tangy, and sweet taste. Mongolian Beef is a versatile and easy recipe to prepare for a busy weeknight. This recipe works well for meal prepping and can be served with rice and a side of vegetables. Consider steamed broccoli on the side or Roasted cauliflower.

Mongolian Beef uses a lot of garlic. Surprisingly, it does not taste as garlicky as one would think. Once the ingredients are cooked in the wok, the intensity of the garlic will reduce.

The original Mongolian Beef uses more sugar than necessary; we’ve reduced the sugar content to one tablespoon. The best cuts of meat are Sirloin steak, flank steak, rib-eye steak, or skirt steak. Choose meat that is easy to tenderize; the softness of the meat is vital for an enjoyable experience.

Ingredients

Topside beef, Garlic, Soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, Oyster sauce & Water, Bell peppers, Chives, White sugar, Salt & Pepper.

Topside Beef is Lean and flavourful. This cut of meat is sliced thinly. The thin slicing ensures quick cooking while retaining the tenderness and juiciness of the meat. When marinated, the Beef has a robust taste with extra flavour. The Garlic adds a sharp and pungent taste to the Beef and vegetables. It creates a rich and savoury note that works beautifully with the brown sugar.

Soy sauce has a salty and umami flavour that provides colour and flavour. Hoisin sauce has a sweet and tangy flavour that adds complexity and a smokiness to the Mongolian Beef. Oyster sauce adds richness to the overall marinade. Water loosens out the sauce.

Bell peppers provide a flavour and a pleasant contrast to the sauces. Chives serve as a garnish; they add a pop of colour and freshness. Brown sugar creates a sweet and savoury balance. Salt is used in minuscule proportions and ensures that every bite is seasoned accordingly. Pepper adds a subtle heat and peppery taste without overpowering the other flavours in the Mongolian Beef.

Instructions

Make the Marinade: Chop the garlic and add it to a bowl. Add 1/2 cup water, Hoisin sauce, sesame seed oil, soy sauce, white pepper, salt, and sugar. Slice the topside beef. Afterward, slice the green and yellow pepper horizontally. Lastly, cut the chives.

Marinate the Beef: Add the yellow pepper and green pepper to the beef marinade. Marinate your beef for 1 hour. Let the flavors infuse. Marinating the beef helps the protein break down. The marinade also infuses into the dish, thus creating a more flavorful meat. The tender, soft strips of beef will complement the freshly cooked rice in a pleasant manner.

Stir-fry the Beef: Add oil to the wok, then add the peppers and beef with the marinade. Afterward, add the soy sauce. We recommend mixing it well and stirring the meat for five minutes. Set the temperature to medium-high heat. Thereafter, reduce to medium-low heat for ten minutes.

Expert Tips

As mentioned above, slice against the grain of the meat. Marination is an important step to ensure that the meat is tenderized. Mix rice wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch before stir-frying the beef.

It is imperative to sear the outside of the beef on high heat, which will ensure that the meat remains moist. This can be achieved by reducing the stove’s temperature. The sauce has to simmer in order to thicken, which is crucial to increasing the flavour. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken slightly to coat the beef evenly.

What can you Serve with Mongolian beef?

Consider serving Jasmine rice or Garlic bread. Many different types of salad are absolutely delicious alongside this recipe. We recommend Asian Cucumber Salad or Kale Salad.

How to Store Mongolian Beef?

Mongolian beef can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days, reheated in the microwave, or frozen for three months.